The Villain
by Kathemy
Summary: When Damon murders Stefan's best friend of over a century, Stefan ignores Elena's pleas for mercy. Stefan/Caroline/Anna. Significant canon divergence. Major character deaths.
1. Author's Notes

There are several minor canon changes from the show that are necessary to understand for the story to make sense.

Meet the characters:

* * *

 **Elena Gilbert** is the narcissistic, entitled and immensely beautiful A+ student that loses her parents in a car crash.

 **Caroline Forbes** is the neurotic and slightly socially awkward control freak hiding her insecurities behind a mean girl mask.

 **Bonnie Bennett** is the rather judgemental hippie who comes to realize she has special powers.

 **Stefan Salvatore** is permanently transformed by his actions in chapter one. There are obvious similarities in personality but operatively he is no longer the same person.

 **Annabelle Zhu** is the ancient vampire girl trapped in a young teenager's body, an old aquaintance of Katherine Pierce and the Salvatore brothers, a head-strong and intrusive girl on a mission to free her mother.

* * *

Elena and Bonnie are best friends. Caroline isn't particularly close with either of the girls and has a low-intensity rivalry with Elena.

Matt and Elena broke up some months prior to the accident which claimed Elena's parents' lives and Matt and Caroline hooked up shortly thereafter in a rebound-type relationship which ended amiably after a couple of months, nevertheless enraging Elena, meaning that Caroline had broken the "girl code".

Thus, Damon and Caroline postdates Matt and Caroline. Zach and Stefan never managed to lock up Damon which means he has been torturing and sexually abusing his "girlfriend" without interruption from the moment they met up until the events of "162 candles".

Since Zach and Stefan never managed to lock up Damon, the events resulting in Zach's death never happened.

The reason that the role of Anna is dramatically expanded in this story is most urgently that with Damon meeting the True Death, there is no longer anyone else invested in opening the tomb in Mystic Falls. Further explanations would greatly spoil the general storyline.

This is a very complicated project for me. It draws on a lot of theories and meta analyses I have created or am partial to for the show and I am trying to remain consistent, but mistakes are bound to happen and later fine-tuning of previous chapters will almost certainly be necessary. Constructive comments aren't just welcome, they are vital.

Please be adviced that there will be **a lot** of sexual material in this fiction ranging from innocent jokes to downright explicit porn. I will not allow it to completely subjugate the story but this is simply how I write things and I like to advance concepts and plots through sexual metaphor.

And finally...

 **Important Note:**

* * *

 ** _This is not now nor will it ever become a triangle love story._**

Keeping that in mind will greatly facilitate interpretation.

* * *

 **Enjoy!**


	2. Feedback

**Dear friends,**

I am not able to respond to guest reviews via the private messaging system and even if I could, what you've written pertains to stuff that I meant to explore within the vehicle of this story, precisely when it comes to some of the more "troubling" aspects of it, and I feel that these are things that need to be vented and discussed. If possible, you could always create or login to your account and we might have a more meaningful conversation. So let's get to it, shall we?

 **AngelicDevil93 chapter 3 . Jun 25**

 **I don't understand the point to this Anna character at all. And they're all extremely out of character. I was hoping this would be better than it is. Disappointing.**

I frankly disagree that Anna is written out of character. She is obviously sexualized in a way she wasn't on the show but in fact, the way she was sexualized might be at least as troubling as how I write her here.

The Anna on the show sexually exploits Jeremy, who's written as a fifteen-year-old kid. Now there are two reasons why this isnt seen as a big deal by most viewers because they are at least shown as physically compatible and the fact that it's an age-old adage that men can't be sexually abused. What could be viewed as decidedly problematic is how Anna relates to Caroline, who is at core and this point an ''insecure and immature individual", but it has to be pointed out that Anna isn't a moral character in your normal sense. She never was.

Stefan Salvatore is being written as slightly (alright, more than slightly) out of character. He is not being written as switched-off. Rather, he's gone "dark-side" for real. He's not lobotomized; he's not actually switched off anything. If you want to pinpoint him I'd suggest viewing him as a cerebral version of Damon; one which isn't likely to resort to blunt force in order to achieve his means if there are better options. For more, seee below.

 **Guest chapter 8 . 2h ago**

 **"I actually really enjoy this story and love the dark sides of Stefan and Caroline you've shown here, I think it's extremely compelling. I have two criticisms and even if you don't take it on board that's ok because I do still really enjoy your style of writing and this story because it's unique and interesting.**

 **1\. I feel that this is more of an Anna and Stefan story and Caroline is a side character. Also, I feel Anna is at the centre of this triangle and I'm really craving some Stefan and Caroline away from Anna. Maybe that's just my dislike of that character speaking though**

 **2\. I think balance in the characterization would improve it. I love that this is a dark story, but just like in life there are also shades of light and goodness to Stefan and Caroline's characters that have been erased by the narrative.**

 **Please don't take this as hating, I actually effing love this story and can't wait to read more!**

 **Guest chapter 8 . Jul 5**

 **The thing turning me off the story is Anna's role and Stefan and Caroline getting off on the body of a 14 year old, Otherwise everything else is really interesting and cool.**

Don't worry, I absolutely don't take offense to your comments. I'm not sure if you made both of these comments (they showed up at the same time but what do I know,)

Now, this is exactly what I aim at when writing the story, namely how the age difference between the different characters should realistically affect things. This is a thing that the show basically ignores. The only time I found it mentioned in any meaningful way was during Caroline and Klaus' hookup in the woods.

I view Anna as sort of a Claudia Lite. (You know, "Interview with the Vampire".) She's obviously physicallly older than Claudia (Helll, Claudia was depicted as FIVE YEARS OLD in the novels, but you have sort of the same dynamic here, and it's a way for me to expore it.

The first thing to point out is the following:

Anna is an operative character at this point of the story. She's vital for driving the story as it is - Caroline, not so much. The way Stefan views Caroline she's a young weak character showing promise, and because of the latter point he's not interested in simply abusing here and leaving her in the garbage. Anna is an immensely strong indivudal despite her physical looks. This is something that will change during the narrative. Bear in mind that Caroline is a girl that's going to change a lot through the story - I meant what I said about this story eventually encompassing hundreds of scenes - and it simply makes sense that Stefan pays more attention to Anna right now. Stefan is Nietzche. He admires strength

Anna is very interesting for me to write for the following reasons.

She's four hundred years older than Stefan. Yet she looks like a child.

Now, is it really reasonable that a person that age shouldn't be allowed to be sexually active just because she's eternally trapped in the body of a fourteen-year old? She's half a millenium old! What I am trying to point out here is how Stefan quite naturally does not view her as a child, and the more Caroline gets to know her, the more she realizes how doing that would be absurd. Anna is the older sister of Caroline at this point.

Anna is a mere two years younger than Caroline physically and she is **five hundred and thirty years older**. This is vital.

Now, imagine a girl that's suffering from a disease that stops her from aging forever. I am not going to lie here - I wouldn't mind if Louis and Claudia would've hooked up, in the biblical sense, providing that he would be able to develop sexual feelings for her. How long is a girl supposed to stay celibate because of an affliction like that? Would that be fair? Wouldn't that at its core be extremely discrimatory?

Anna is interesting for me to write because she can make jokes about her being "weak" or "barely legal" without any intelligent readers taking it seriously. She is able to ease herself into a submissive role without it coming across as offensive, especiallly because her first sexual encounter with Stefan basically amounted to date rape, and because you know that she could tear them both to pieces.

Caroline's role will be expanded through the story but it also bears to mention that there is not a single Stefan/Anna fiction except mine on the entire site. I liike exploring unusual pairings.

Just my two cents.


	3. Prologue

[Rating: M+] [Stefan/Caroline/Anna] [Significant Canon Divergence] [Major Character Deaths]

 _"Please… don't leave me alone."_

 _"He killed her. He killed Tanner. He turned Vicki. I have to kill him."_

 _"No. You can't do that."_

 _"Why are you trying to save him? He's never gonna change. Don't you see that?"_

 _"I'm not trying to save him. I'm trying to save you. You have no idea what this will do to you. Please."_

 _"Everywhere that I go, pain and death follow. Damon follows me. No more."_

 _"Please. Please, just talk to me. Let me be here for you. Talk to me."_

 _"You were right to stay away from me."_


	4. Chapter 1, Scene 1-4

**[Rating: M] [Stefan/Caroline/Anna] [Significant Canon Divergence] [Major Character Deaths]**

The first sign that something needed to be done had been when he had found Damon trying to drain all the blood from his uncle's body. Stefan managed to shove him away before he was actually dead, but he knew next time they might not be so fortunate.

The second sign made all other signs moot, and that was when he murdered Stefan's best friend.

That's what had lead up to this moment, Damon shoved against the wall, the stake in Stefan's hand firmly implanted in his chest, dangerously close to center.

"You missed". It's a mix between a chuckle and a whisper, the older brother clearly in extreme discomfort.

"No, I didn't." Stefan pauses and looks Damon straight in the eye.

"I wanted it to hurt." With no hesitation, he twists the stake and drives it straight through the heart.

In his final few seconds, the look on Damon's face is shock and astonishment, slowly giving way to sadness. A single tear finds his way down his graying cheek.

" _Brother…?_ "

Then he is gone, just a colorless hump on the floor, void of the life, the hate, the infinitely twisted plots and schemes and all that made his brother his.

Stefan does realize, on some level, that his brother never really hated him. Not really. He wouldn't have had to see that last tear on his face to know that was true. But he had crossed a line, and he had forced Stefan to cross one of his own in return.

His eyes wander to the bourbon on the table beside him. Damon's favorite. Surely worth a couple grand a bottle these days. He sighs, opens it up and pours it over Damon's corpse, finds a match and lights the fire.

It's stupid and he guesses the burn marks will never go away, but the situation calls for something symbolic.

As the flames rise higher and in the middle of the nauseating smoke, he feels his humanity burn away. It's nothing like the normal "turning of the switch." He realizes those were a coward's actions. A way to get away from everything that hurt, to brainwash yourself from everything making life enjoyable.

He lets it all go. The sympathy for those lesser than himself. The shame for being what he really is. All the twisted, conflicting morals he has stacked on top of each other in his mind over his 162 years on this Earth.

It was probably no coincidence how he spent this morning reading "Also Sprach Zarathustra."

"Goodbye, brother."

* * *

The second commotion of the day is Zach in a panic, furiously racing down the stairs screaming "Fire, fire!"

"Relax", Stefan says, "it's just Damon. Besides, it's nothing a nice carpet won't be able to cover. Though I guess we have to do something about the smell."

Zach stares down at the smoldering carcass with pure horror. "But… why…?"

"Shouldn't that be rather obvious? He was becoming a liability."

"Well, hasn't he been that for his entire life? Why now?" Zach looks utterly perplexed.

"Before, he was just being your average liability. By killing Lexi, he made me angry." Stefan sighs and goes off on a tangent, "How I hate digging graves… Maybe we can just dump him somewhere?"

"Killing my wife and unborn child wasn't enough to make you angry?!" Zach's voice is agitated and tense, as he is starting to realize that the proceedings of the day might have taken a deeper toll on his favorite uncle than he'd expected.

"Of course not." Stefan twists his head to look at him, steel in his eyes. "You're human. Never forget that."

He turns towards the corpse, the flames finally having died out, and covers it with a blanket.

"Give me a hand here."

As they help each other carry Damon's body down to the basement, Stefan suddely asks,

"Zachariah… Have I or have I not made Mystic Falls a safer place today?"

"I guess you have."

Deep in his mind, he's not so sure.

* * *

There's something different about him as he opens the door to greet her.

"Hello, Elena."

"Hi, Stefan!" His tentative smile mirrors her own but it doesn't seem to be all there, never reaching his eyes. She stands uncertain in the doorway, looking up at the man she's already, subconsciously, sure is the love of her life, wondering where this is headed.

"Won't you come inside?" Stefan steps aside and makes an inviting gesture.

"Sure. Whoa, what happened here?" There's a huge black burn mark on the floor in the living room, and it looks recent.

"Damon happened." Stefan chuckles.

"Oh… How… Where is he?"

"He's in the basement, but he's not taking visitors."

"Did you manage to lock him up?" Elena asks, incredulous.

"In a manner of speaking. He didn't offer a lot of resistance."

Something is wrong, she can feel it in the marrow of her bones, and even if she's afraid to ask, she does it anyway. "What happened?"

"I killed him," Stefan states, matter-of-factly, merely a glimpse of emotion on his face. "Then I burned him. You know, funeral, heathen style."

"Oh my God!" She gasps, hands over her face. "Lexi…?"

"The straw that broke the camel's back. I thought you'd be happy?"

"Well… yeah… no… Yeah, I guess, in a sense, but he was your brother! You must feel terrible." That last sentence carries a lot of hope with it.

"I have to admit, I'm a bit sad. On a few, rare occasions, he made a fantastic drinking buddy. Still… It had to be done. Damon never stops. Now I've stopped him forever." He does look sad, true, but there is also a distance in his voice and his expression, so very far from how he used to be.

"Alright… so… This is a lot to take in. I'm sorry, Stefan. I'll just need some space."

"Take all the time you need."

With that, she turns away and leaves.

As she walks away from the Salvatore mansion, Stefan stares at her through the window.

 _What did I see in her?_

And it's obvious, really. The girl who reminded him of Katherine. The girl he thought could be Katherine, only without all the scars and the baggage.

 _But that was what made her so thrilling in the first place._

The fantasy girl for the vampire who wanted to be a Real Boy, only he doesn't want it anymore.

 _She's weak._

Still, she intrigues him. It wouldn't do to chase her away. There might be more to learn from her, and besides, she might be almost as fun in bed as the real thing.

It feels liberating. It's as if he's finally come to his senses.

* * *

 _"Dear diary.  
_

 _Today, I turned my humanity off, but I didn't._

 _Today, I killed my brother, but I didn't._

 _What I have not done is to fake my way out of an impossible situation, but rather to embrace it, meet it head on, do what needs to be done, and face the consequences._

 _What I have done is to reject my human values._

 _Lexi was a good friend, the best, but in a sense, I might thank Damon for killing her for me. Lexi helped me, and God knows I needed help during those dark times, but she did it in all the wrong ways._

 _The twelve-step program. Draining me out. Torturing me for years and years. Doing anything to stuff away that part of me._

 _I can't live as a half-person and that was what she thrust upon me. I was thankful for her help but only because it enabled me to reconnect to the young boy before I was turned, an echo of the past._

 _This is not who I am and it is not who I will ever be again._

 _I needed help to accept and come to terms with my existence. I needed help to marvel at the beauty of who I am._

 _Damon is dead, but he is still with me. Flakes of his burning corpse got into my nostrils. I am not Damon and I never will be, but part of me has to accept him being a far healthier creature in his own rights than I ever was._

 _I am pure._

 _I killed the rabid dog but I will treasure his essence."_

He opens the refrigerator, finds the A+ and pours himself a glass.


	5. Chapter 1, Scene 5-8

**[Rating: M] [Stefan/Caroline/Anna] [Significant Canon Divergence] [Major Character Deaths]**

It's more than a week until he's back in school, even so missing the first two classes. Normally he would try to play the good student routine, but it's not like he doesn't know everything that's taught already, at least up to university level.

Not for the first time, he is asking himself why he's bothering to keep up the charade.

Elena and Bonnie are standing in the corner by the cafeteria, so he makes his way over there, tapping his girlfriend on the shoulder.

"Hey."

Bonnie excuses herself, clearly not too comfortable with the company of the undead. Not that he can really blame her, vampires and witches generally only cause trouble for each other, and besides, his words aren't for her.

Elena turns to him, a slightly worried look on her face.

"I'm sorry I haven't been in touch. I've had a lot to deal with."

 _Like dumping the charred remains of my brother way across state lines… Like selling the Camaro… Like getting back on a reasonable diet… Like talking to Zach and trying to convince him that I'm not crazy, even though by his standards I probably am… Like trying to figure out what hell my business really is with you._

"Oh. So… that's been taken care of?" She almost looks angry.

"Yes."

Caroline makes her way over, looking at him expectingly.

 _Wow, she's pretty._

"Stefan…? Where's Damon? He has some serious apologizing to do." She sounds chipper enough, but there is an undertone to her voice that is… strange?

 _I must've been too busy obsessing over my dead love's copycat to notice earlier._

"I…" He coughes. "He's gone, Caroline."

She looks confused. "Gone? When's he coming back?"

"Never. He's not coming back."

She doesn't answer. She looks stunned.

"I'm sorry." He turns around and leaves, not bothering to listen in on their chat as he makes it through the hallway to math class.

The second time he sees Caroline for the day is at lunch break. He's brought a thermos filled with 0 negative mixed with cocoa, drinking directly from it. For some reason neither Elena or Bonnie is around, and she tentatively makes her way to his table.

"Hi."

"Hi again, Caroline. What's up?"

"It's just… weird, you know? Why would he just leave like that? I know things haven't exactly been the _best_ , but…" She rolls her eyes.

Stefan clears his throat, staring up at her since she hasn't taken a seat. For some reason, she always seems a bit nervous on the few occasions she's alone with him.

"Listen, Caroline… This is a good thing."

She sighs. "I know that." She still looks unconvinced.

 _It might be prudent to find out how deep that interest in his dead brother really runs. Wouldn't be good if she kept nosing around._

"I have to get home after school, but maybe we can talk about it later?" He shoots her a pleasant smile.

She meets his gaze, an undeterminable look in her eyes. "Sure… When?"

"The grill, around six o'clock?"

"Ok, thanks!" She beams at him. "Oh, and… enjoy your cocoa."

It's not until she's left that it hits him. _How could he be so stupid?_

Damon's been compelling her all these weeks, but Damon's dead.

 _She knows._

* * *

She's already almost 30 minutes late when she steps inside the grill and she's pretty sure she's never been this nervous in her life. Stefan is sitting alone at a small table in the corner.

The place is pretty deserted for her age group; Tuesday evenings don't exactly qualify as Happy Hour for high-school students.

"I'm so sorry I'm late." She looks at him hesitantly. "I kinda got caught up… cleaning. Yeah, cleaning my room." She's wearing this white shirt with small blue birds on it, yellow shorts, curly loose hair and discreet make-up. Stefan suspects she's spent some fair time in front of the mirror as well.

He smiles. "It's fine, Caroline. I got myself a stout." He swings the pitch black beer in front of his face. There's a glass of coke with ice and lemon waiting for her at the other side of the table. "They take forever to finish, and I figured this might turn into a long conversation."

She sits down.

"So…" Expectant silence.

"So…" The smile never quite leaves his eyes. _He's stunning._ _ **No, that's not what you're supposed to be thinking of!**_

"I…"

He cuts off. "Why don't I get the ball rolling. How about we take turns asking questions?"

"Good!" Taking a sip of her coke, she's feeling strangely relieved. _That's structure. She's_ _ **good**_ _with structure._

"How long have you known?"

She almost spits out her drink, looking up at him, scared.

"It's… it's been starting to come back. Bits and pieces. At first I didn't even know if it was real. It's only been the last two days that I… have felt like I have got the whole picture." She draws a deep breath.

"Can I have something stronger?" Her hands are trembling, just a little.

"Of course." Stefan wavers over the bartender. "Pour the girl an Old-Fashioned. Plenty of garnish, and please use real rye." He turns to Caroline again, "That should help to steady the nerves."

He takes a deep gulp of his beer. "Why haven't you told anyone?" He looks genuinely curious.

She stares at him sharply. "Tell who? I had no idea who I could trust. Half of the time I thought I was insane. The rest of the time I figured they'd lock me up. But…"

"…Yes?"

"He _is_ your brother. I was going to confront him myself but… then he never showed up."

Stefan nods.

"Stefan, where is Damon?"

He looks back at her calmly. "Damon is dead."

She gasps for air. "How…? Oh, sorry, it wasn't my turn to ask."

He smiles brightly. "No worries, Caroline. I killed him."

"Why?" _He's dead. She has no idea if she should be scared to death of the man in front of her or jubilant that the monster who abused her is gone._

"May I show you something?" He stretches out his hand. "Take it."

Apprehensively, her fingers meet his. He's got strong hands, strong and soft. _Absently she remembers that Stefan spends a lot of his time working on his car, helping out around the house at Elena's… How can they be so soft?_

"We don't… develop calluses. In fact, we heal from almost anything." He sounds almost apologetic.

"How did you…"

"Like this." And there's a whirlwind in her head. Memories, thoughts, feelings and pictures. _Meeting the blonde girl. The night at the bar. Playing pool, drinking shots. Lexi. Damon, her mother and Lexi outside. The shock, the horror and the pain of your dearest friend lying on the ground, nothing more than a gray, disintegrating corpse. The hate. The all-consuming rage…_

It stops. "Now you know."

"Oh…" She's not sure what to say.

"What do you remember?" The link is broken but he hasn't let go of her hand, caressing her palm smoothly, sending small sparks up her arm.

"I remember… Damon. Beating me… raping me… feeding on me, then raping me again. Hours or whole nights. Then… when he was done, he'd flash that nauseating smile, and sometimes, when he'd broken some bones, he'd force some blood down my throat. Then he'd say 'thank you, sweetheart' and look me deep in the eyes… and then he was gone."

 _Yeah, that's Damon, alright. Never take the easy route when brute force is an option._

"Is that what you're going to do to me now? Is that why I'm here tonight? Hurt me… drink me… _fuck_ me?" By her voice, he's not sure if it's an invitation, a challenge or a provocation. Her eyes are wild.

He speaks slowly. "All in good time, Caroline. I'm not my brother." Remarkably, he looks completely honest.

"Yeah… Yeah, I can see that. I remember… you know, when you wanted to look at my scarf? It seemed like you cared."

"I did."

"You know, your brother gave me a great education." She puts her other hand over his. "And… except for the first twenty minutes, I hated it every step of the way." She smiles, and now the look in her eyes is deadly serious. "I wonder what it would be like with you."

* * *

The one thing for which Annabelle could never forgive her mother was turning her too young.

She's had several lifetimes' worth of experience doing her make-up, to the point where she can convincingly make herself pass for sixteen or seventeen, maybe even eighteen on a good day, but it only partly remedies the problem.

Anna had died five days short of her fifteenth birthday, and there isn't a single day when she isn't reminded of it.

The worst thing is the frequent need to relocate. A vampire turned at the age of 25 has an immense advantage in that respect, easily able to masquerade as a twenty-year-old and living comfortably for a whole decade or more before people start wondering. Anna can barely stay in any one place for more than a couple of years.

Anna has never heard of a vampire physically younger than herself making it past his or her fiftieth birthday. Part of the reason being the aforementioned fact - a twelve-year-old vampire is many times likelier to be found out than an adult. Another part is the high rate of suicide as the increasingly older baby vampires find less and less common ground with themselves and their reflection in the mirror.

Still, she has persevered.

She is small, and she is weak - far weaker than her years should've made her. The one thing she has on her fellow undead is the speed. She can outrun anyone and anything. Her few friends use to joke that she could hide in a shower with three other people.

But, yes… She hates her mother.

She despises her for the fact that when she was turned, Pearl had been so afraid of hurting and killing her child that she didn't dare to wait changing Anna as well. _Just a little self control, and she'd had a slightly more normal life._ A life that now stretches over half a millenium.

She despises her for always treating her like a child, being overbearingly dominant and condescending towards her well past her hundredth, and two hundredth, and three hundredth birthday.

But Annabelle hasn't seen her mother in almost 150 years. Pearl has missed her four hundredth and five hundredth celebration and despite all her grievances, Anna still misses her dearly.

 _Time heals all wounds._

And that's why she is back in Mystic Falls at last, back to try anything and everything to get her back.

She is clad in a punk rock leather jacket with Martens boots and blue jeans, a worn Ramones t-shirt hugging her petite figure tightly, heavy on the mascara and a few "adjustments" that might actually let her order a drink without compelling it, on the way to the Mystic Grill, when the door opens and a couple exits.

The girl is stunningly pretty, young - _not as young as you_ , she thinks bitterly - and blonde, blue eyes and an infectious smile, but it is the boy that catches her attention.

Dark blonde hair and a face as if lifted right from a greek statue.

It's been too long.

 _Stefan Salvatore._

* * *

It's a starry night and a pleasant wind in the trees when they exit the pub. They've spent almost three hours talking and drinking and Caroline is fairly buzzed. Stefan hardly seems affected at all but, well, that's to be expected. _Is it because he's a vampire or because he's had 150 years of practice?_

"Both, really." Stefan's words interrupt her thoughts.

"Hey, stop doing that!" Caroline laughs, suddenly aware of his hand in hers. "Give a girl some privacy!"

"Sorry." He chuckles. "It just comes naturally." He shifts his stare from… _well, what was he staring at, exactly…?_ up to her eyes. "Do you want me to let go of your hand?"

She smiles nervously. "No… No, not really. Just mind your manners." She squeezes his palm quickly.

They keep walking on the road back to her house in the mild forest breeze. She's supposed to be home already, but right now that's the furthest thing from her mind. There's been a _lot_ to process tonight.

"So… now you know." His voice is somber.

"Yeah… Yeah, I do. So… you going to compel me to keep my mouth shut about it?" She winks and sticks out her tongue at him.

"No." He views her calmly, unashamedly taking in her form, from her toes and up and down again, slowly. She feels her cheeks redden slightly.

"Why not? Why would you risk something like that?" She raises her eyebrows in a quizzical look.

"I would prefer it if this… friendship?… could be based on trust instead of violence. You didn't snitch on me when you had the chance. You've already handled this a lot better than Elena did, and at least Elena wasn't raped multiple times by my brother. You have a far better excuse."

"Oh, yeah… Elena." She coughs. "Listen, about that thing I said back at the grill… I'm sorry. That was… embarrassing." She blushes fiercely.

"Don't apologize. You were being honest. I was too. There is nothing wrong with that."

She finally dares to return the stares he's been giving her all the way to her home, her eyes lingering on their fingers, sweeping over his muscled arm to his impeccable hair and to his face. _He's gorgeous._ She doesn't even care if he can hear what she's thinking.

"Still. She's your girlfriend."

"She was a part of my old life. She was a piece on the board in the game with my brother." He looks down at his shoes, ruefully. "My brother is dead, and the game is over. I've started to reexamine my priorities."

"So… What are you saying?" A quick, expectant look at his lips.

"I'm just saying that not everything in life revolves around Elena Gilbert."

She smiles, and that's when Anna decides to notify them of her presence.

"Hi, Stefan. Missed me?"

Stefan looks at her perplexed as she emerges from the darkness at the side of the road. If she'd been anyone else, he would have heard her long ago, but eighty pounds of teenager combined with the strength of a grizzly bear makes for a silent approach.

"… Anna?"

"Yeah… Anna." She giggles, quickly and nimbly crossing his personal space, raising herself on her toes as she draws him into a long, passionate kiss, her strong little tongue forcing its way into his mouth. He tries to pull away but, _hell, she was always good at this_. "Who's your friend? She's pretty." She smiles at Caroline mischievously. "Mind if I join? I'm sure we could have a lot of fun together."

Caroline steps back, releases Stefan's hand, and looks bewildered at the both of them.

"Yeah, I start to get it, Stefan. Not everything in life is about Elena."

She turns and walks away, almost runs, a sinking feeling in her stomach.


	6. Chapter 1, Scene 9-12

**[Rating: M] [Stefan/Caroline/Anna] [Significant Canon Divergence] [Major Character Deaths]**

"Thanks for ruining my date." He's picking up the pace, obviously quite annoyed, heading for home, Anna half-running to keep up with him.

"Oh, come on, Stefan." Anna laughs. "If nothing else, I've got a couple of centuries on you. Aren't you a little old to be chasing teenagers?"

"Well, at least I'm not fucking kids." He frowns.

"Ouch. That hurt." She chuckles. _And it really did. How does he know exactly what to say to hurt me?_ "Is that a recent policy? Did it come with the bunny diet?"

"That's a thing of the past."

"Oh, yeah. I noticed that. You weren't being a complete pushover." She ponders. "Why did you let her leave? I meant what I said. You could've just rushed her and compelled her and everything would've been fine."

Stefan looks over his shoulder at her. "Because… That's exactly the kind of thing Damon would do. If I go down that road, our bond is only as strong as my control of her. It's stupid, especially if you know how to play the game without cheating. I have plans for her, Anna… I'll find a way to make it up to her."

"Okay, okay…" She runs up to him, grabbing his arm. "I'm sorry, alright. How can I make it up to **_you_**?"

They come to a stop in front of the Salvatore boarding house. Stefan catches her eyes. "How about you start by telling me why you're here?"

She lets out a breath, looking down at her shoes. "Actually, I was looking for Damon. I might have… business with him. But I found you, and I figured before asking, I might help myself to a little treat." She smirks.

For a short while, Stefan falls silent. "Well… If you have 'business' with Damon, I guess you can tell it to me. I figure I might have inherited his affairs."

"… Why? Where is he?" She looks up at him, confused.

"Oh, in a ditch somewhere halfway to Louisiana. I've forgotten the specifics."

It's Anna's turn to fall silent. Stefan's knocking at the door, waiting for Zach to answer it.

"… You killed him?" She really can't believe it. _This is Stefan. This is the compassionate brother, the one who would forgive anyone for anything._

"Yeah. It was long overdue. And as for 'making it up to me'… I think you can start by filling me in on whatever hare-brained plan you've got inside that pretty little head of yours. Then you can try to find a way to kiss and make nice with Caroline." Zach opens the door.

"Hiya, Uncle. Please invite my old friend here."

Zach looks at her warily. "I was just going out. I have some business in Kentucky I need to take care of. Are you sure she won't pose a threat?"

Stefan laughs. "I'm sure she'll pose less of a threat to you than I will if you don't." Zach gives him a shocked look. "Nah, just kidding. She's mostly harmless."

"Fine, fine… What's your name?"

"Anna."

"Alright, Anna, welcome to our home. You may enter. And I'll make myself scarce."

As Zach makes his way to the car, they enter the living room.

It's a really beautiful place, with large bookcases housing thousands of volumes lining two of the walls. The fireplace and the light from the great jeweled lamp in the ceiling perfectly illuminates the room, not too sharply. It's a little secret, but most vampires don't enjoy bright lights of any kind, daylight ring or not. It plays tricks on their overcharged senses. The carpets are exquisite and from their scent she can tell they must be nearly a century old, probably imported from north Africa. There's a giant mirror facing her at the distant side of the room, recognizable as early Jugend style. _It must have cost a fortune._ The couches and the table appear to be a bit newer but all in all it's really cozy.

"Wow, Stefan… Nice joint. You've got anything to drink here?"

"Well, as for the third part, you can't tell Caroline anything, at least not yet."

"Anything about what?" She looks at him puzzled.

"About this."

Then he's all over her.

* * *

Their clothes are gone in seconds, flying like a whirlwind across the room, her jacket on the couch, her pants in the corner, the rest here, there and everywhere. He turns her around to face the wide mirror on the wall, pressing her back hard against him while he's twisting her arms in an almost unnatural position away from her stretched-out body, but not hurting her. _It would take a lot more than that for him to hurt her_.

Ever since she became a vampire Anna has always hated to see herself naked.

She's barely got a hair on her body, the short stubble between her legs fine, sparse and almost transparent. Her ribs clearly showing, her breasts small, round and hard and her thin arms and legs looking like they could snap like twigs. _How appearances can be deceiving_.

The worst part is _she knows he knows it too_ , and she is feeling tears of humiliation well up in her eyes. Still she offers but token resistance. She knows Stefan, and she knows this is just a game, one of the million games he likes to play, and she's not leaving without her reward.

So she stops resisting, stands still and lets her head fall.

Then she feels it.

She feels his arousal, not just in the hardness pressed against her back but inside her head. Her breath rapid and shallow, she feels his excitement roll over her and his eyes devouring her, and _she has never met anyone who could do this quite like that_. She feels his hunger filling her, the dark, throbbing pulse and him adoring every inch of her body, and _there are no lies. It's impossible to lie like this_.

 ** _I'm beautiful._**

It's like this giant knot that loosens in her stomach, something she's carried within her for centuries, and right here and now, there is no pain anymore.

The only thing that matters is to feel him inside her.

 _He knows exactly the right time_.

He throws her against the mirror, hard enough to take her breath away but not hard enough to break it, his hands grabbing her hips, her hands supporting her against it. She's trembling already.

Then he takes her.

He rides her so violently a human girl could never take it, and it's _just right_. There's nothing elaborate about it, nothing fancy, just a boy fucking a girl senseless, but it is all that's needed. He's inside her. She's inside him. Inside her body, inside his mind, and as he's penetrating her she feels how good it is for him to have her surrounding him, her wet warmth squeezing him hard while he buries himself in her.

At exactly the same time, they come - it would be impossible for it to play out any different - and it's like it never ends. She feels his explosion in her mind, every synapse firing and it's like nothing she's ever imagined.

"Thank you", she says in a silent voice. "Really… Thank you." She's shaking uncontrollably, the aftermath of the act still sending ripples through her minutes later.

He smiles and plants a small kiss on her forehead. "I figured you could use it."

Finally, she falls to her knees, burying her face in her hands, sobbing tears of relief.

Stefan heads over to the drink cabinet, pouring himself a scotch, seemingly not noticing her outburst of emotion but likely just giving her space.

"Want a nightcap?"

* * *

The giant strawberry milkshake in front of her at the coffee house doesn't look like it's about to drink itself but yet Caroline can't bring herself to touch it.

She's decided to call in sick to school today - which is _so_ not her thing, by the way - and now it's around 2pm, and she's no closer to a solution than she was at the beginning of the day.

Just a couple of weeks ago, everything was easy. Granted, it was all based on a lie, with her actually believing to be in a happy relationship with a guy who turned out to be a sadistic mass murderer whose favorite pastime was beating her up, forcing her to sex and drinking her blood, but still. Now… Everything is different. Her life is turned upside down. _The fairytales are real._ She sighs. Her little crush on Stefan has returned with a vengeance… More than that actually, since for the first time he's actually given her the time of day to get to know him, and she's feeling herself falling helplessly. She shouldn't. She really shouldn't. She has no idea what to tell Elena, or what to tell anyone… This being the main reason she isn't in school today. She's just fairly certain that Stefan ought to put an end to it, but it doesn't seem like he cares too much about hurting her.

 _Like he doesn't seem to care about hurting me, either._

Also she has absolutely no clue who this "Anna" girl is. It seemed obvious that Stefan knew her from somewhere but she could tell he was really taken by surprise when she kissed him. But she _did_ kiss him, and he let her. She's not blind. The way she looked, she should probably be in the class under her or something, but Caroline can't remember ever seeing her at school.

Speaking of the devil…

"Hiya, Caroline. Mind if I join you?"

She's dressed in a pair of short, tight black jeans shorts and a pink Hello-Kitty T-shirt - _do people really still wear those?_ \- rounded up with the same leather jacket as last night, sporting a red backpack over her shoulder, no make-up, and _how old is she really…? Twelve?_

"Uhm, actually, I rather you didn't… Can't you go find someone else's date to steal?"

"Alright, listen, I'm sorry, but I really can't take no for an answer today. I'm on a mission." She chuckles and sits down next to her, uncomfortably close. Somehow she's managed to get a cappucino without Caroline even noticing her ordering it.

"A _mission?_ "

"Yeah… Stefan told me to 'kiss and make nice' with you, so that's what I'm up to."

"And how do you plan on accomplishing that?" Caroline frowns.

"Okay… Normally, you and me would have a very different conversation, but Stefan expressedly forbade me to do it that way. He seems to think that you can be… trusted, you know? He really does like you. Way more than that dumb brunette who calls herself his girlfriend. Probably way more than me, too. I've just got a couple of advantages over you."

"Yeah… What would those be? A Kindergarten bus card?"

Anna sighs. "More like the reverse, actually. Anyway… I told him if I couldn't go with the brute force approach, I'd have no choice but to be honest with you. You'd find out later anyway, and if he's all about cultivating relationships the old-fashioned way, that was the only way to go."

"I'm not even sure what you're talking about."

"Alright, this is it. I admit that I was being rude stealing your date, and I guess you won't be too thrilled to find out we spent practically the entire night fucking each other's brains out, and I'm here to tell you that you need to get over it."

Caroline is stunned silent, shock spreading over her face. "You're crazy! Why would you tell me anything like that?!"

"Because honesty, duh. That's the only card left to play for me, thanks to Stefan's silly rules, and even if I admit he can be a royal pain in the ass, I know he's probably smarter than me. I defer to his better judgment."

"But…" Caroline is really so bewildered at this point she has no idea what to do, torn between rushing off, throwing the milkshake in Anna's face and an assortment of other forms of violence.

"How old are you, Caroline?"

"I'm seventeen! What does that have to do with anything?! How old are **_you?!_** "

"I'm five hundred forty six."

"… Oh."

"Yeah. Three times older than Stefan who, by the way, is older than any human being who ever lived. And you need to understand how that changes things."

"What do you mean?"

"Stefan's always been… a romantic, I guess. He's been this one-girl boy, but that's changing, and I suspect that his recent fratricide might've had something to do with it. Anyway, it's all got to do with him realizing some basic truths about life."

"Such as…?"

"Well, normal people are born, they grow up, they grow old and they die. They have this fantasy about the only one, the only girl or boy they'll ever love, and since their life span is limited, it's at least got a fighting chance to work out. We don't. There is no such thing as 'the one' in this world… There is no way to walk this Earth for three hundred years without meeting dozens of people who catch your affection. Your ordinary morals are made for humans. We aren't human."

"… And this is supposed to be endearing?"

"Yes. No. It's supposed to be honest, that's all. All I know is he really likes you. He might even love you down the line, which might make you a very lucky girl… And now I've said my piece. Enjoy your milkshake."

Anna rises, leaving her half-drunk cappucino and walking out of the door.

Caroline sits silent, staring at her untouched milkshake, speechless.

* * *

 _"Oh… **Jesus… CHRIST!** "_ Anna lets out an almost inhuman squeal gradually turning into a hysterical giggle, her body shaking like a leaf in the bed.

"What was that… number six?" Stefan's head is buried under the blankets, sounding amused.

"Seven. Are you trying to kill me or something?"

"Nah, you're just an awesome playmate. It's really fun to take advantage of your dirty thoughts… You have a lot of them."

"Ugh… Empaths are _the worst_." She snickers, trying to get her breath under control. "So, refresh my memory… is this part of the contract? You help me with my mother… and in return I give you intel on your maker… I help you do the dishes… I fix your screwed-up love life and… I get to be your personal sex slave?!" She makes a funny little face at him.

"Don't forget the free accomodations and my great gnocchi marinara!" Stefan smiles.

"Jokes aside…" Anna is staring at the ceiling, a sense of supreme contentment coming over her… "It's really silly we only went there one time before. It could've put a silver lining on many days, for me, at least."

Stefan chuckles. "Well, New York in 1919 wasn't exactly a good year for me, you know. If I'm really honest, there haven't been many."

"I figured. Finding you back in a dark alley half mad with rage making a mess of your dinner of two decapitated policemen was a hint."

"Not that you cared."

"Not that I cared, no. Sometimes you've got to live a little."

"Speaking of which… How about your rendezvous with that certain blonde?" Stefan looks at her inquiringly.

"Oh, I gave her the lay of the land. She didn't freak out that much. You might be right about her, you know. I kinda like her too. Don't worry… We'll be the bestest of friends."

"Your self-confidence is most reassuring."

"That's because it's warranted." She smiles gingerly. "I'm more worried about the tomb. It's not like I don't see any potential trouble on the horizon."

"Yeah…" Stefan sighs. "I honestly don't know how you convinced me to help out, but… I'm a man of my word."

"Well, I did draw out a contingency plan, didn't I? Move in, snatch Pearl, move out? They're going to be completely dessicated. There's no way any of them could put up a fight, and besides, I'm way stronger than any of them except my mom. And you _know_ how my mother is when it comes to loyalty and fealty. Having two ancient vampires beholden to you could come handy later."

"Well, as long as we don't get a _There Goes The Neighborhood_ situation…" He sighs.

She rolls over and puts her head on his bare chest. "Plus… I can be very persuasive. Reminds me that I probably owe you some payback."

As she quickly slinks between the sheets and takes him into her mouth, the problems and the headaches momentarily drift away into the bliss.


	7. Chapter 1, Scene 13-16

**[Rating: M] [Stefan/Caroline/Anna] [Significant Canon Divergence] [Major Character Deaths]**

"So, let me get this straight…? You went on a date with my boyfriend, and now you're here to complain to me about how another girl showed up out of nowhere and stole him from you?!"

" ** _No!_** " This conversation didn't exactly start off on the right foot. She figured she had to get back to school sooner or later and that she's better grab the bull by the horns immediately. "That's not what happened!" _Although actually, it kinda is…_

"Well, please fill me in then, dear _friend_ …" Caroline has never seen Elena look so angry. _Or ugly._

"Okay, me and Stefan went on… went to the Grill to discuss some important stuff. _Damon stuff._ " She grimaces. "Then while we were on our way to my home this girl who claimed to know him showed up and… spirited him away. No matter what, we _are_ supposed to be friends, and I really thought you deserved to know." Caroline frowns.

"Oh come on, Caroline, you're not fooling anyone." Elena is almost screaming now and with all the people in the cafeteria it looks like the slut-shaming brigade is out in full force. "Do you really think I believe it's a coincidence how you've missed the exact same days as him lately? We all know what's going on inside that pretty little head. First Matt… Now Stefan?! Never able to keep your mitts off my boyfriends, huh? Well, let me tell you this… If you screw things up between us, I'll never talk to you again."

Caroline's starting to see red. "As if I didn't see you fawning over Damon ever since you met him", she says, silently, dangerously.

"Well, at least I didn't jump in bed with him on the first date! You know, that might've saved yourself some trouble!"

It's enough. She storms out of the school, the tears burning and flowing down her cheeks.

* * *

Caroline is a mess.

Her boyfriend was a psychopathic monster who got murdered by his brother. The brother that she's in love with got shanghaied by a weird pre-teen pinup doll the age of a mummy. Her childhood friend, the girlfriend of the latter brother, threw a fit and slutshamed her in front of the entire school for getting raped by the first brother.

She's sitting on the couch eating cheetos - _what a way to spend a Friday night…_ \- and wishing she could wake up from this silly dream when she hears a faint rap on the door.

 _ **You've gotta be kidding me.**_

"What are _you_ doing here?!"

"Came to check up on how you're doing. Can I come in?" Anna smiles at her, carrying a plastic bag in one hand and dangling her stupid red backpack in the other.

"You can't be serious."

"Please, Caroline. If I wanted you dead, don't you think you'd be dead right now? I just thought…" She suddenly looks almost shy, or at least a tiny bit insecure… "Well… Never mind."

Caroline frowns. "Fine, come in! Why are you here, anyway?"

Anna enters the hall, looking relieved. "I like you. Don't you like me?"

"Uhm… Not really."

"Good! That's why I like you. An honest question and an honest answer. Though… either you're _really_ stupid for talking to me like that when you know I could rip your head off in half a second… and I don't think you're that stupid… or you actually know I'm not your enemy, so you can afford feeling comfortable around me. Both are good!"

"You're not my enemy? Do I look comfortable?! You stole my date!"

"No, in fact, I didn't." Anna sighs. "I kindly asked if I could join you, but you ran away. But it doesn't matter… Enemy or not? What would you prefer, an enemy telling you the truth, or friends whispering behind your back? I understand you have plenty of the latter." She looks up at her, her eyes suddenly piercing and betraying just a hint of her real age.

"… And just what the hell do you know about that?!" Caroline is starting to get really furious.

"I heard from Stefan. Things kinda blew up in school today, huh? It sounded awful. From what I understand, he's on his way to Elena's to tell her to, and I quote, _**back the fuck off**_. He was really angry. I figured you could use a listening ear, or a distraction."

Caroline suddenly deflates, walking back into the living room and cuddling up on the couch. "Fine. Stay, if you want. Though I don't know what good it will do."

Anna tentatively makes her way to the opposite side of the couch, sitting down. "So, what will it be, the truth or the lies?" She winks.

For some reason, Caroline can't help giving her a pained smile. "I guess I'll have the red pill."

"Fine. Then I'll tell it like it is again. I won't lie and say I'm not sleeping with the boy you're in love with, but I promise I'm not standing in your way. I want to be your friend. I don't have many, and I make fewer every year… It must be my winning personality." She smirks apologetically.

"You know, you're getting less endearing by the minute."

"I know! That's why I brought tequila." Anna beams at her.

Caroline shakes her head, defeated. "Fine. The cheap glassware is in the top left cupboard."

"Just for you… I'll climb."

* * *

 ** _"This SUCKS!"_** Caroline buries her head in her hands. "How did you convince me to watch this?"

"Come on." Anna chuckles. "Night of the Living Dead is fun! Oh, whatever… wanna do something else?" She sneaks up to her on the couch, gently nibbling her earlobe. "Changing the content rating, maybe?"

"You're insane!" Caroline giggles, and the worst part is the thought has actually crossed her mind. But _no, **no,**_ no making out with her crazy sexual-anarchist girl buddy!

"Oh, come on… Do you have any idea how many tricks a girl can pick up about pleasing another girl in 500 years?"

 **"Anna!"** Okay, and now she's _really_ blushing.

"Just sayin'." She shoots her a bright smile and downs another shot of tequila. "By the way, that film… why is it in your library anyway, if you haven't even seen it?"

"It's not mine. It's Matt's."

"Matt? Brother?"

"Ex-boyfriend", Caroline sighs.

"Ex, huh? Is he cute?"

Caroline stares at her, eyes the size of footballs. "Cute? **NO YOU WILL NOT!** " Anna giggles and sticks out her tongue at her. "Just kidding."

"He's alright. He's… pedestrian."

"… compared to Stefan?" Anna winks.

Caroline falls silent for a moment. "Actually, I was thinking compared to you."

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Of course I'm sure. We're out of booze." Anna opens the door to the giant boarding house. "Besides, I live here."

 ** _"You WHAT?"_**

"Yeah, I needed a place to stay, and the place is huge, so Stefan offered. I have some business to take care of that I can't tell you about, at least not yet. I promise, not everything I do is about sex."

"Oh, yeah? What do you pay for rent?"

"Okay, you've got a point." She moves into the living room, lighting up the giant crown lamp in the ceiling and making her way to the drinking cabinet. "Zach is still in Kentucky… He won't be back for another two days. I guess Stefan isn't done with all the drama yet, but unless he's really pissed off afterwards, he'll probably head home, and I know you'd like to see him."

" _Humph._ "

"I think we can help ourselves to the bourbon… Damon's leftovers. It's good stuff, but Stefan prefers the Scotch."

"As long as you find some Coke." Caroline smiles and lays down in the great leather sofa in the middle of the room, Anna whiffing back and forth into the room in an instant, carrying glasses, a pitcher, some oranges and a bottle of Bitter Lemon, one at a time.

"What is it about these people? No Coke?" Caroline pouts.

"I don't know." Anna smiles. "I prefer living in the present, despite my advanced age… but I've noticed Stefan often reverts into the moods of earlier times. He seems more comfortable that way. You know he's still got a manual typewriter for official letters?"

"How long have you know each other?" Caroline asks, abruptly.

"I've known him since he was thirteen. I knew him until he was turned, and shortly after, we were separated… I met him a couple of times over the years, but mostly he was so broken it was no use trying to make sense of him. Not that I didn't try… and not that I didn't take advantage of his confused state, at least once. Not my proudest memory." She looks down at her shoes. "Not that he would ever blame me. He's never had room in his head to blame anyone but himself."

"Do you love him?"

"Love?" Anna chuckles. "That depends, doesn't it? I really… _like_ him. He's an excellent conversationalist, he's great in bed, and when he hasn't got that cloud hanging over his head he can be extremely funny… but _love_? When you're as old as I am, the meaning of the word becomes muddled."

Caroline looks at her, trying to, somehow, make sense of this woman… yes, _ **woman**_ … in front of her, but falling short with every attempt. _She's so beautiful_. Her skin like a porcelain doll, her traits exquisitely thin and sculptured. She can't even make out her heritage. She looks vaguely Chinese but there are so many features of her face that are decidedly unfamiliar.

 _Maybe people didn't look the same back when she was born._

"Were… Were you short for your age?"

"What?!" Anna laughs, but it's clear it is a sore spot. "What do you mean? Don't you think I'm short enough now?"

"I'm sorry… I mean, when you were turned?" She blushes, feeling a bit ashamed.

"Yeah… Yeah, I was, but not like now. You've all grown taller."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. The alternative would be to be dead."

Caroline covertly keeps staring at her, unable to stop admiring her presence, while Anna pours herself another drink, gulps it down, immediately pouring herself another, her impish smile returning to her eyes.

Then she stares right back at her.

Her eyes are hypnotizing as she draws herself ever closer to the blonde girl, but the bubbly, playful look never quite leaves her face, her hand smoothly landing on her upper thigh, fingers sliding under her skirt, and Caroline's breathing just **_stops_**.

 _ ***Whisp***_

"Look what I found!" Caroline's white panties are dangling from her left little finger.

The blonde looks at her increduously.

"Oh, but that's not all. Look here." She pulls up Caroline's skirt slightly, making her blush even more fiercely. Impossibly, her white lace stockings are still attached to her garter belt.

"Hey, give them back!" She screams, torn between fury and amusement, reaching for her underwear.

 ** _*Whisp*_**

"Have mine." Anna chuckles, throwing her own black ones in her face.

She doesn't know what it is - if it's the booze or the general absurdity of the situation - but suddenly she starts laughing, throwing herself over the midget vampire girl, tickling her while Anna is tittering uncontrollably in her ear, and suddenly they are _way_ too close.

Their first kiss is so tentative and shy as to be almost non-existent, and puzzlingly enough, Caroline finds herself initiating it. Anna pulls a lock from her hair, wrapping it around her finger, softly purring into her mouth.

Then, cautiously, one thing at a time, Caroline feels her unbuttoning her shirt, quickly unhatching her bra, slowly pulling down her skirt, teasingly stroking her bare thighs against her core, and she feels her breath stick in her mouth, and _what the hell is going on…_

The lights in the hall come on.

"Uh, hi, girls."

 _Oh damn…_


	8. Chapter 1, Scene 17-18

**[Rating: M] [Stefan/Caroline/Anna] [Significant Canon Divergence] [Major Character Deaths]**

"I bought pizza." Stefan hastily makes his way to the kitchen. "I wasn't in the mood to cook anything after today's antics, so I went to the new place behind the church. I wasn't expecting two guests, but there's enough for all of us."

". ** _.. Stefan?_** " Anna coos teasingly.

He sticks his head out the door, looking at them confused. "Yeah?"

"Don't you think you have anything better to focus on right now than dinner?" Anna's voice is tinted with feigned disappointment. "Caroline here has missed you a _**lot**_ … I don't understand why you're making everyone else run your errands?" Her grin is downright fiendish, Caroline looking at her with a mix of vexation and self-consciousness while Anna twists the shirt off her right shoulder, exposing some more skin.

Caroline's never seen Stefan blush, and unfortunately right now is not the time either, but she clearly sees the hitch and the gulp in his throat, and then she notices the thin veins starting to cover his face. _Like Damon. Just like Damon._ Suddenly she's feeling a tinge of panic, but as if reading her mind, Anna smoothly pushes her face towards her, and she sees the same black web discreetly protruding from her eyes, while she gently strokes her hand. Caroline relaxes.

Stefan slowly makes his way to the armchair by the table beside them, sitting down, clearly torn. "I… I shouldn't. Listen, you have your fun. Don't mind me."

 _Yeah, of course._ Caroline's insecurities are returning in full force. _What was I thinking? How could I imagine he'd really want me in **that** way? I'm just a stupid teenager and Anna's making fun of me._ The bitterness is welling up in her stomach.

Anna's looking at Stefan curiously, starting to put two and two together, realization suddenly flashing in her eyes.

"Aww… I think I'm beginning to understand the problem." She looks at him with mock sympathy.

"What do you mean?", Caroline nervously shifting her gaze between them.

"Well… Stefan here is a bit _on edge_. If I'm not mistaken, he's just gone back on the real juice - you know, the human stuff - and he's a problem drinker. So right now… he's feeling a bit agitated and having some problems controlling himself. I think he's just scared if he actually fucked you, we'd end up with two or three pieces of Caroline instead of the full version."

Caroline stares at him, clearly distressed.

Stefan coughs uneasily. "Uhm, yeah, something like that. These…" He points to the black veins around his eyes… "These mean _want you._ Unfortunately, right now, these also mean _want to tear your limbs off_. I just don't want to risk it."

"Poor boy." Anna grins. "Don't worry. Let me help." She offers him her hand.

Stefan stares at them in disbelief where they're sitting, clothes in disarray on the rug by the fireplace. "I…"

"Don't worry, Stefan. I've got you."

She pulls him down to them, Stefan with a reluctant look on her face, Caroline's head filled with a confusing mix of fear and excitement.

"Okay." Anna's stroking his cheek lightly while blinking her eyes at Caroline. "Stefan usually prefers being on top, one way or the other, but desperate times… right?" She does that strange magic again where the clothes disappear from his body like they've been teleported - _seriously, how can anyone undress a guy like that without ripping them apart?_ \- and softly pushes him backwards to the fur carpet, gracefully shifting position before planting her bare behind right on top of his face. Caroline's face is red like a tomato but Stefan doesn't seem to mind, obviously used to all sorts of acrobatics. Anna grabs her hands, slides her a bit up Stefan's legs and leans in for a quick kiss.

"Now… we play."

They are both bare from the midriff and below - Caroline sending thanks to God for her long shirt when Stefan came in, Anna not quite so lucky in her bright red tank top - and they make similarly short work of the rest of the clothes, the only thing Anna allowing her to keep being her stockings and the garter belt.

"Are things always rocket speed with you?" Caroline half-smiles, half-blushes.

"It's a common complaint." Anna lets out a strained laugh - it's obviously already becoming quite hard to sit like she does while acting like nothing. "Do you mind?" She's running her hands all over her body, gently between her legs and up again, causing Caroline to shiver while she returns her affection, shyly playing with her small breasts and nipples. "… No. No." Then Anna offers her a second, longer kiss before a sly look runs over her face and she bows down over Stefan's body, slowly taking him inside her mouth.

"Don't be jealous." Anna smiles. "It's all for you." She's seeing his member rise hard and fast, gleaming with her spit, Anna kissing and stroking it.

"What do you mean?"

Anna rises her head and smirks, then she grabs Caroline's hips, pulls her towards herself, positions her and then firmly forces her down his length, all the way to the shaft.

This is the strangest thing she's ever done in her life - well, at least when it comes to _this_ \- but it just feels _exquisite_. It's like riding a wild, infuriated animal, him shaking ferociously under her and _yeah it would_ _definitely be a bad idea to be alone with him right now_ , Anna controlling his strong, upper body with her legs, and she can hear the ancient little nymph in front of her gasping wildly as Stefan buries his tongue inside her slit, sucking hard at her sensitive spots. Anna kisses her deeply and runs her one hand across her bare breasts while nimbly shooting her little finger all the way into her butt - _how come that_ _didn't hurt either?_ \- twisting it forwards, tightening her gash more and more for every second.

She whispers. _**"I can feel him moving inside you."**_

She doesn't know if it's her words or the incredible feeling of his rock-hard cock sliding through her impossibly wet and almost forced-shut passage but this is where she loses all control. She rides him violently, hugging and kissing Anna hard while she's feeling the spasms from orgasm after orgasm shaking her new friend's tiny body. She can feel him coming, shooting a giant load into her, and she realizes she is too, maybe having been for minutes.

When they're done, she's absolutely spent, and she feels like she's supposed to be embarrassed, guilty or "feeling like a pervert", but… there's only calm, only joy.

"Now you can cuddle." Anna giggles. "Stefan's almost passed out from that workout, aren't you? You're not going to be ripping anybody's heads off for a few hours?" She pats his hair affectionately.

He shakes his head, weakly.

As they lie together, exhausted on the giant rug, Caroline's head resting on Stefan's chest and Anna's face snuggled into her hair from behind, there's only one thought.

 _This is it. This feels right._

* * *

 ** _Some hours earlier_**

* * *

It really hurts to see her.

That's the real reason he's been avoiding this confrontation, avoiding to even think about her. Just a few weeks ago, he used to look at her with excitement and love, but that was before he'd really figured out what this was all about. Now, looking back at his past motivations, he can feel nothing but disgust for the situation.

He sighs and zones back to the moment, hearing Elena's voice return in his ears. She's been babbling nonstop for minutes. They're standing a bit away from her house, the lights in the windows making it look like just another cozy middle-class American home instead of the psychological trap it had become for him.

"… And okay, I'm sorry I might have jumped to conclusions, but…"

"I could forgive you for jumping to conclusions", he interrupts. "People do that all the time. It's a normal part of life, and most of the time, those conclusions are right." He looks at her meaningly, as if underhandedly wanting to hint at her worst fears. "What I have a problem forgiving you for is you trying to paint Caroline as a whore for getting systematically raped by my brother."

He's seeing all confidence drain from her. She's looking more and more desperate, making less and less sense. "I didn't mean it like that! Besides, why do you care so much about her? I'm the one you're supposed to be in love with!"

"Am I?" He smiles. It isn't a pleasant smile.

"Listen, Stefan, I'm sorry, I really am! And I know that what went down with Damon has changed you, and that's why I didn't want you to do it in the first place, but I just want to bring you back!" She's breathing shakely. "I need you. I think you need me too."

Stefan sighs deeply before focusing his eyes on her again, and it's like every piece of the person she knew is drained from them - the caring, loving warmth replaced by a methodical, cool, distant and analyzing gaze. "That's just it, Elena. I don't need you, and I don't want to come back."

She feels it like a knife thrust into her stomach but he doesn't even seem to care or notice, continuing evenly.

" _You_ were prepared to forgive Damon for murdering _my_ best friend. Then you tried to make it about _me_ , about how I would be affected by killing him, as if you'd have even the slightest idea about how a 160-year-old mind works. And then you took my hand, and you pleaded with me, and do you know what I felt in your touch, and what I saw in your eyes? How it was all about _you_."

His eyes keep boring into her, and suddenly, without warning, he places his hand on her temple. " _You_ wanted _him_. _You_ wanted _us_. Deep down, below your conscious mind, you loved the power it gave you, and it made you feel oh-so-important to have both the Salvatore brothers worshipping at your altar."

She shudders, feeling her own thoughts and memories violently slamming into her head from his touch, and she sees it. _It's true. She's been found out._ He lets go of her head.

"And when I realized it all, it made me want to vomit. We knew a girl a lot like you, Damon and I. You resemble her in more ways than I could have ever imagined. I guess we both thought we loved her, but in the end, she was only a prize. We fought each other for her, we bonded over her, and we learned the truths about each other through her, and two weeks ago, I'd finally learned enough. I was no longer willing to sacrifice any more of my friends' blood for that twisted game, and I sure as hell don't plan to stay around playing with its broken pieces."

She suddenly knows that _yes_ , _everything is lost_ , only trying to put on a brave face. "So… What are you saying?"

"I'm just saying that in a sense, I'm sorry. It was never about you. It was only ever about Damon."

He turns and starts to walk away.

"You're in love with _her_ , aren't you? With Caroline? Is that what this is all about?!" She screams at him, clearly losing it.

He looks at her over the shoulder, letting out a small laugh. "No. I _like_ her."

He kicks a stone on the road and keeps walking.

"I don't like _you_."

Then he's gone.


	9. Chapter 2, Scene 1-3

**[Rating: M] [Stefan/Caroline/Anna] [Significant Canon Divergence] [Major Character Deaths]**

"Oh, cinnamon doughnuts. Thanks, Jennings. Those are the best."

"No problem, ma'am. Enjoy your coffee." The officer smiles and leaves for the back room.

She's got her way through half of the doughnut, all of the first coffee and about a third of this morning's paperwork when there's a knock on the old wooden door and it swings half open.

"I'm sorry, Sheriff. Am I disturbing you?" The dark blonde boy nods at the pile of letters in front of her at her desk. "Can I come in?"

"Stefan! What a surprise to see you here! Please, enter."

He shyly makes his way into the room, taking a seat in the chair before him, feeling the black plastic uncomfortably against his back. He's holding a small box in his hands.

"So, Stefan… What can I do for you?" Elizabeth looks at him curiously. He's been over at her house a few times to pick up Caroline for a movie, or for a visit to the coffee house, or just to invite her over to Zach's place, a mild-mannered young man always handling himself with perfect politeness around her. Caroline insists that they are "just friends", but Liz has noticed how much happier she seems to be lately, and she suspects it might be a bit more than that. Honestly, she doesn't mind. _He's a nice kid. She could do a lot worse than that_.

"First of all, I've come to deliver this." He pushes the box to her. "It's last month's harvest."

She stares at him intently. "Why would Zach send you to deliver this? Why not him or Damon?"

"Well…" He seems really nervous. "That's the other thing. I've talked to Zach, and… He did send me. I'd like to file a missing person report."

Elizabeth falls silent, opening the box, inhaling the sharp scent of the herb. "… Damon?"

"Yes. He's been gone for over a month now. He said that he was going to New Orleans to meet some friends, and we haven't heard a word from him since. Now, this is Damon and it isn't unusual for him to drop off the radar for a week or two, but when four weeks had passed without contact, we got in touch with his friends. They said he'd never been there, and more than that, they had no idea he'd gone to see them in the first place."

"Hm." Elizabeth's expression of worry deepens.

"My brother's dead, isn't he?" Stefan looks her straight in the eyes with a distressed face. "After Zach and me figured out he was gone… I pressured him. He didn't want to at first, but eventually he told me. He told me everything. I want in."

Elizabeth gives him a sympathetic smile. "We can't know. I'd lie if I said it wasn't possible, and I understand if you want to get revenge, but we can't be sure what happened or where it happened, and if he left town… chances are it's out of our jurisdiction. And… you're a bit young to be a part of this, Stefan. I'm sorry."

"Still. Zach is gone a lot, supply runs and the likes. He might not always be available."

"Still running the old Salvatore Pizzeria, right?"

"Right." Stefan nods. "Besides, I'm almost eighteen, and Zach has already agreed to train me and teach me what I need to know. It was supposed to be Damon, but we all have to face the possibility that he's gone, and we aren't going to let the family tradition die out."

"Alright." She grabs his hand over the desk. "I'll think about it. And I'll get you that report."

"Thanks, Liz."

As he's making his way out of the police station, there's a small smile twinkling in his eyes. _So far, so good._

* * *

If Elizabeth had known what was currently going on at the boarding house she might not have been so happy about Stefan Salvatore's influence over her daughter's life.

Anna and Caroline are both sprawled out over the great couch in the living room, both completely naked, Anna laying behind her friend playing with her hair with one hand while keeping the other occupied with various extracurricular activities.

There are streams of blood all over their bodies, running from Caroline's arms down her hands, from her breast down her stomach trickling between her legs and from her shoulder running down her back. Anna's wrists have been slitted multiple times and there are a few more creative places that have been used as well, blood running from high up her inner thigh and her collarbone.

"More", Caroline whispers.

"You never get enough, do you, honey?" Anna purrs into her hair.

"No." Caroline smiles proudly over her shoulder. "Besides, this is all your fault. You're the one who got me hooked on this."

"True…" _She gently slips two of her fingers inside her…_ "But…" _And a third, slowly tracing every inch of her cavity while massaging her sensitive spot with her little finger, making Caroline whimper softly, twisting her body against her mistress…_ "We can't let it distract us from everything." She gives her an affectionate kiss on her cheek before slowly retracting her hand, leaving the blonde quivering with frustration.

"You're mean." She giggles. "Promise me more when Stefan comes home!"

It's strange how quickly she's become this comfortable in the situation. In the weeks since their first encounter, Caroline's life has been transformed. She's got two people… two people she really loves, and who surprisingly enough really seem to care for her… and _**no rules**_. Or, well, not exactly "no rules", because that would drive her insane, but rather "make them up as they go along". In so many ways, Anna is Caroline's polar opposite, probably never having made up a schedule for anything in her entire life, and yet she doesn't think she's ever had a better friend, and it feels like they've known each other forever. _And she's not even human._

They meet almost every day after school, her, Anna and Stefan in some capacity, at a restaurant, in the house, in the fields or by the river. Anna teaching Stefan Wei-Qi in exchange for Italian lessons, them both teaching her psychology and philosophy. She's never had such good teachers in any subject, drawing on a combined life experience of over seven hundred years, Stefan perhaps being the more pedagogic of the two and helping her further along by mind-sharing while occasionally, Anna's impatient streak will shine through.

"Hi, girls! What did I miss?" Stefan comes through the door into the hall, taking off his jacket and shoes.

"Wouldn't you wanna know…" Anna smirks at him, prompting an exasperated look from him.

"Stefan!" Caroline exclaims. "How did everything go?"

He strolls into the living room before noticing their current state of undress, slowly and admiringly taking in the scene before him.

 _This is heaven._

In fact, this is just about exactly as far as those little devils on the couch can push him before he loses it completely, but over the weeks he's improved a bit, gradually adjusting to the blood, and they've become a lot better at pinpointing the limits to his restraint. He can't help his face transforming slightly, but he also notices how Caroline never takes her eyes off him, a teasing smile on her lips and radiating comfort and security despite being completely disrobed, exposing herself shamelessly.

Her long, slender legs slightly spread and the hair between them cleanly shaved, opening her small, glimmering rose labia to him, the firm stomach and full, round breasts, her elegant neck and the trails of blood acccentuating the outline of her body like by design (and knowing Anna, it probably is) - it's a thing of exquisite beauty, and that's _before_ looking at Anna, glimpsing at him with an amused look from over Caroline's shoulder, her dark locks spilling over her blonde. _They're perfection_.

"Everything went according to plan. I'll probably be in the loop in a couple of weeks. I'm sorry it's taking so long, Anna, but the latest social disaster has slowed things down." He pours himself a drink and crashes in the armchair. "And… please put on some clothes. I don't know how long I can keep myself in check seeing you like this."

"It's so sad that Stefan can't play with us like a normal boy." Caroline pouts.

"Shut up, Caroline!" Stefan laughs. "It's getting better, isn't it? And it's not like we haven't found some creative ways to deal with the problem."

"So, when are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?" Anna looks at him curiously.

"Soon." Stefan smiles at her. "This is the honeymoon."

* * *

"Alright, this is all of them." Zach carefully puts down the dusty leather volumes on the table in front of him. "The Lockwood, Salvatore, Gilbert and Fell journals."

"Did you run into any trouble collecting them?" Stefan looks up at him briefly before beginning to rummage through the books.

"Not really. I asked for them for archival purposes, said I'd bring them back within a week or so. Plus… All the council members know what a book nerd I am. I might've let enough shine through that they'd think I just wanted a look at them for personal reasons."

"Great. Anna had some complicated plan involving turning a bunch of people and playing agent Valentine with the Gilbert little brother, but I figured this might be easier." Stefan chuckles.

"That said, Uncle… I'm going out on a limb for you here. You've been very helpful to me over the years, and I appreciate that, especially when it comes to dealing with the threat from your brother… But I need to know what this is all for."

"Oh, I'm going to free a couple of vampires from the tomb underneath Fell's Church."

Zach stares at him in disbelief. "What? Why would you ever do such a thing?"

Stefan sighs. "Do you like Elena Gilbert?"

"Well, yeah, I guess… I've known her since she was a baby. What does that have to do with anything?"

"I have a feeling I'm going to have to deal with the original version sooner or later." Stefan closes the book at the top. "You see, Katherine is alive."

"What… How?"

"Apparently, she managed to escape the fire in the church and made it away, and according to Anna, she's been silently checking up on me over the years. Now, that means it's likely that she knows about my encounter with her _twin sister_ … And I am far from certain she has good intentions when it comes to me, or _anyone_ in this town. There are too many unknown variables here for my taste. My brother is dead, and I need allies."

"You're not concerned that the vampires in that tomb are going to lay waste to the entire city?"

"I am. That's why I'm only letting Pearl and Harper out. I knew Harper when I was a boy, and Pearl is Anna's mother. There's a reason I've been nothing but friendly to Anna since she showed up, Zach, and it's not just for her good looks. With two vampires indebted to me - and Pearl takes these things seriously - hailing from before the Italian Renaissance, and her closest confidante being a good friend of mine, we'll have the firepower needed to take on all comers. At least, that's the general idea."

"I don't like this." From the look on his face, that's an extreme understatement.

"I know. That's why I didn't tell you before." Stefan grins.

Anna's standing in the garden, some fifty yards from the house, quietly overhearing the conversation.

 _A piece on the board. That's all I am. A piece in one of his games_. She looks up at the midnight sky, the clouds obscuring the stars. _Well, what did I expect? He's right. I won't betray him, and he won't betray me. How does that change anything?_

She feels like she's choking.


End file.
